I read regularly about the CRAZY weights we ask our jockeys to do. As an active runner of 5k-40km runs I thought Id check this out and the results are amazing/crazy! http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/loseweight/pages/height-weight-chart.aspx then go onto the bmi calculator! as a 40 something near 6ft 13st plus reasonably fit person I was given a weight range of: 9st 7lb - seriously??????? 12st 12lbs - could just about get there!!!! So if Im running 30+ kms per week during quiet times where does that leave the less inactive? Is the NHS deluded? sensible drink limits are not on par with the advice (im a regular exceeder) what hope do our jockeys have? How would the game change long term if we allowed heavier jocks? Yeah the horses would have to change would that be detrimental to them? Cheers!!!
I was gona go Corbyn as I respect his views, theyre not mine, but I appreciate and understand them! But didnt think folk would appreciate it! But yeah late night posts my avatar suits me
I've raised this many times in the past Gaz, Why not just increse the weight every horse has to carry by 1 stone? Flat handicaps would be from 9-11 stone, jumps handicaps from 11-13 stone and sensible weights picked for non-handicap races. It would certainly make the life of the average jockey more manageable. The BMI chart does go a litttle low with the "healthy" weight range, suggesting any tangible muscle mass is "less than healthy". I am 46 years old, 1.90m tall and weigh around 86kg which puts me just in the healthy weight range. I have to work bloody hard for that though, 270km cycling each week with some running and swimming chucked in. Mind you, I do sink the odd bier or 4
Whilst the issues around obesity are fairly obvious in today's society I've long thought these BMI and healthy weight are pretty unrealistic. I'm not winning any prizes for my physical condition and have a current BMI of 28 (according to this calculator) but I have completed endurance races and an ironman half a stone ago (when still overweight according to the calculator). If these were more realistic I think more folk would take them seriously. As for the jockeys I'd chuck the weights up a stone before racing starts this afternoon.
Agree with raising the weights points made above. These guys go through hell trying to make the right weight at times then we expect them to be 100% each and every time they get up on one despite the fact they've spent 2 hours in a sauna and only had 2 cups of tea in the last 12 hours. Rather them than me!
The only problem that springs to mind with raising weights is that some jockeys are naturally very small and very light. They would be at a distinct disadvantage with yet another stone of dead weight
gazboy, I think I have backed that avatar of yours – it ran several times at Not So Glorious Goodwood. I am only 5’ 10” and about 11st 7lb, make no effort whatsoever to maintain my weight as I have always been slight. So I pay no attention to BMI indicators and I probably drink too much if averaged out over the week according to the ‘units of alcohol’ scale. The notion of raising the weight ranges for flat racing seems perfectly reasonable, with the caveat that Ron states. They would have to do it gradually over a period of years or all the current lightweights would immediately be out of a job as nobody would employ them to carry a stone of lead in the saddle. It would allow jockeys to be bigger (height and weight) and they would not end up spending three hours in the sauna to ride something carrying 8st 4lb. However, this would surely then draw a line under all existing course record times – horses would have to improve enormously for one carrying 11st to break a record set by one carrying 7st 11lb.
Simples ....just hand out pies before the little blokes jump on the scales. If that's not enough, put 'em into eating training like that pig Joey Chestnut who has managed to wolf down a record 69 hot dogs, buns and all, in just 10 minutes. Imagine taking him out to dinner, fat chance. I'd be sick to the guts watching him. Patrons would be blowing chunks all over the place. Look, if these little jockey bastards can't get their acts together then they can get rooted. Talk about prima donnas. If Frankie can't complete a flying dismount, with 12 pounds of blubber cascading over the front of his trousers, then he should get the hell out of the industry. The last thing we need is lazy pricks who won't pull their weight. Racing is all but on it's knees, and it badly requires assistance of the horse steerers. If they can't be bothered to make a decent effort, then we play hard ball, and get rid of the ****tards.
BMI can't handle muscle As a a1.90 metre fully toned athlete I am 2kg overweight!! It has almost made me give up drinking.
